Boehringer Ingelheim starts two new Phase I trials with drugs intended to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity discovered through a partnership with Danish biotech Zealand.
The new Phase I trials initiated by Boehringer Ingelheim will be conducted in Germany, with results expected at the end of 2018. The drugs evaluated will be a long-acting amylin analog and a dual agonist of glucagon and GLP-1, both intended to improve the control of blood sugar levels in patients with type 2 diabetes and diabetes.
The drugs come from two ongoing research collaborations between Boehringer Ingelheim and the diabetes specialist Zealand Pharma, which will receive a €4M milestone payment following the start of clinical trials with the amylin analog. Together, both agreements sum €648M in outstanding milestone payments for the Danish biotech, plus royalties on future sales.
Zealand is experienced in the development of diabetes drugs for big pharma, including two GLP-1 drugs for Sanofi that are already in the market. For more info on new treatments for diabetes, including the popular GLP-1, read our review.
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